Converge

Over the last several decades, women have made great strides for equality in the workplace.  So why is it that for women and their careers, it’s often not about what they do but how they look?

Proof of this came last week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made headlines around the world because she appeared without makeup on a trip to Bangladesh – not for anything she did.  Political bloggers and style websites across the globe wasted no time in weighing in on her “au naturale” look with one website saying that Clinton “just wants to be normal and do things like wear her hair in a scrunchie, party with her girlfriends, and go out without a stitch of makeup.”  Other reactions were harsher; England’s Daily Mail wrote that Clinton’s moment sans makeup made her look “tired and withdrawn.”

It goes to show that at the end of the day, regardless of how high up in business or politics a woman gets, the focus is often about how she looks and not what she does.  Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who produced the 2011 documentary “Miss Representation” about the underrepresentation of women in powerful positions said, “We’re held to a double standard.  It’s tragic.  We have an obsession with women’s looks.  Unfortunately our culture has bought into this whole double standard that a women’s value is her beauty not her capacity to lead.”

Society has definitely pressured women with the need to look good.  According to a study released by the Renfrew Center Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on eating disorder research and treatment, nearly half of women don’t feel good about themselves unless they’re wearing makeup.  The online study polled nearly 1,300 adult women and found that 44% “have negative feelings when they are not wearing makeup,” including feeling self-conscious, unattractive, or that something is missing.  Out of everyone polled, only 3% said going without makeup made them feel more attractive.

Many women trying to climb the ladder of success believe they need to enhance their looks for they will face a troubled career.  Although blatant discrimination has decreased in the last 20 years, there are still subtly biases which may be hardest to combat.  One study sponsored by the Women’s Media Center and She Should Run found that sexist comments about female candidates, including critiques on appearance, led voters to question how effective they would be.  Some of the worst comments that came in were from women bashing how other women looked.

Newsom’s reacted to the study by saying, “it speaks to our own insecurities.  We are complicit and have also bought into this, and the only way to change things is for women to start seeing each other more as sisters and supporting, not judging each other.”

“Research be economists has shown that ‘beautiful people’, both men and women, have higher pay than less attractive people, holding constant many other factors about the individuals,” said Anne York, associate professor of economics at Meredith College’s School of Business.  “So it really does pay for everyone to look good for work.”

On the other side of the table, men can also fall victim to image-bashing.  Take Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for example.  His hoodie has been a hot topic on social media lately.  However, unlike attacks on Clinton’s “au naturale” face, there is little fear that his hoodie will undermine the main power base in the business world today, which is the rich white male.

Food for thought in your own company!

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

If you’re a graduating college senior who is ready to take on the work world, you face a mixed job market at best.  Although there has been an upturn this year in hiring by on-campus recruiters, most graduates will leave college without a job offer in hand.

A recent survey of employers conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers showed that employers who recruit on campuses plan to increase their hiring of new graduates by 10.2% from last year.  Although many may find this increase impressive, keep in mind that on-campus recruiting is only a very small slice of the pie, with a majority of graduates finding jobs on their own.

The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that many recent grads are taking significant time to find work.  A study of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 found that only 49% had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school, compared to 73% of those students who graduated just three years earlier.

Experts are saying that there are four broad issues making it difficult for today’s graduates to launch their careers and succeed in the long run.

One – Although there have been improvements, the job market is still far from booming.  During March and April employers only added 154,000 and 115,000 jobs respectively.  These disappointing numbers are compared with an average gain of about 250,000 in the previous three months, thus proving that the job market recovery remains unstable.

There is a positive side, however.  Americans are quitting their jobs in high numbers which leaves behind openings for new graduates to apply.  In February, according to the Labor Department, two million people gave their resignation notice.  While this is still a low number, it is the highest number of resignations since November 2008.  This is a sign of slowly improving economic confidence and good news for new grads and all those who are currently unemployed.

Two – The class of 2012 faces tougher competition thanks to what the director of the Heldrich Center, Carl Van Horn, calls “the recession hangover.”  Young adults who graduated in the dismal labor market of 2008 and 2009 and have been out of work or underemployed since, and are applying for the same jobs that new graduates are.  Those job candidates, who likely have more experience than new grads, may have an edge.

Three – A debt burden is looming.  From the class of 2010, about two thirds graduated with student loans with an average tab of $25,250 – up 5% from the previous year, according to The Institute for College Access and Success.  Since tuition isn’t getting any cheaper, loan figures are expected to be even higher for current graduates.  This means that a greater portion of those starting salaries will go towards paying off loans instead of rent, furnishings, or a down payment fund for a house.  As a result, this ultimately delays financial independence for many young adults.

Four – Even when graduates do find jobs, it is likely that their starting salaries will be lower than those of their counterparts who graduated a decade ago.  With a lower base pay, research shows that they may never catch up.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, entry-level, college educated men between the ages 23-29 earned an average of $21.68 per hour in 2011, a 7.6% decrease from 2000.  For women, the corresponding figure fell 6%, to an average of $18.80 per hour.  To put this all into perspective, according to the Institute, both men and women now earn just a bit more than they did in 1989, when measured in 2011 dollars.

Despite everything, many recent graduates still express extreme optimism, although perhaps that’s simply the Lake Wobegon effect – they might believe they’re above-average after years of positive reinforcement from their parents.  At the same time, many see themselves as exceptions to the rules of the ever changing job market.

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

Does working all that overtime really help you get more accomplished and increase your output?  The answer is no.  In fact, all it does is make you stupid.

The first studies on productivity that were ever done were conducted in the 1880s by Ernst Abbe at the Zeiss lens laboratories.  Abbe’s study has shown what every study since then has shown – up to around 40 hours a week, we are all pretty productive but, after that, it all goes downhill.  We become less able to deliver reliable, cost-effective results.  So why does this happen?  Well, when we get tired, we make mistakes, and those extra hours we put in are spent correcting those mistakes.

As humans, we have found this message hard to accept, mainly because it doesn’t seem rational.  It seems logical that two units of work will produce twice the output.  Logical but wrong.  The critical measure of work should never be input and output.  It doesn’t matter how many hours you put in; what matters is the quality and quantity of work you produce.

So if putting in overtime doesn’t boost your productivity, what does?  The answer is simple – sleep.  Although we would like to think we can work through the night, the research is against us.  If you lose just one night of sleep, your cognitive capacity is roughly the same as being over the legal alcohol limit.

The reason sleep is so important is because fatigue isn’t simple.  When we are tired, our performance doesn’t diminish equally.  Instead, losing a night’s sleep causes the parietal and occipital lobes in your brain become less active.  The parietal lobe integrates information from the senses and is involved in our knowledge of numbers and manipulation of objects.  The occipital lobe is involved in visual processing.  So the parts of our mind responsible for understanding the world and the data around us start to slow down.  The reason for this is the brain is prioritizing the thalamus, which is the part of your brain responsible for keeping you awake.  If you think of this in evolutionary terms, it makes sense.  If you’re driven to find food, you need to stay awake and search, not compare recipes.

After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, your brain lacks sugar.  In fact, there is a reduction of 6% in glucose that reaches your brain – which is why you start craving donuts and candy.  This loss in sugar mainly affects the parietal lobe and the prefrontal cortex, which are the areas we need most for thinking – for distinguishing between ideas, for social control, and to be able to tell the difference between good and bad.

Sleep deprivation extends much farther than just loss in productivity.  It results in bad tempers, bad diets, and bad decisions.  So the next time you think that burning the midnight oil will help you get more work accomplished and reduce your stress level, shut down your computer, turn off the light, and get some sleep.  You’ll be more productive when you wake up refreshed in the morning.

For more information on this and other people and performance related topics, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

In this tough economy, everyone is looking for tips not only about how to get a job, but how to keep the one they currently have.  Cynthia Shapiro is a former human resources executive who is now an advocate for workers and is the author of “Corporate Confidential.”  In her book, Shapiro provides readers with the inside scoop on the decisions corporate executives make behind closed doors.  The following are some of her top tips on how to get, and keep a job.  While some tips seem to be “no brainers,” others may surprise you.

1. Fear the Special Project – If you get assigned to a “special project” that takes you away from your normal workflow, your job may be in jeopardy.  Another sign of trouble is if you’re put on a “Performance Improvement Plan” to help you improve your job performance.  When this happens, Shapiro says, “You have lost the support of your company and it’s not coming back.”
2. Don’t Follow Up – While many people believe that following up after a job interview shows the hiring manger that you’re interested in the position, Shapiro says follow up calls make you appear needy and desperate.  She said, “The hiring manager knows who they want for the job and will let you know if they’re interested.”
3. Don’t Overdo Casual – Although your company may encourage casual dress at work, there need to be some limits.  Sloppy or “too sexy” clothes, piercings, tattoos, etc. are not acceptable for the workplace.  Shapiro says, “Executives look at how you dress as a reflection of what kind of thinker you are.”
4. They Really Are Reading Your Email – Shapiro said many companies monitor the emails you send from your work computer because it provides insight into an employees’ attitude; for example, jokes about management, anger about company policies, etc.
5. Talk Shop – According to Shapiro, you should only be taking two short personal phone calls a day that last no longer than 10 minutes each.
6. Don’t Quit to Look – Companies like to hire workers that they believe are in demand.  In other words, don’t quit your current job to look for a new one.  It can take twice as long for an unemployed worker to find a job.
7. Watch the Body Language – Even if you are well qualified for the job, slouching, staring at the floor, folding your arms, or putting your hand in your pocket can turn a hiring manager against you.
8. Don’t Be Water Cooler Guy/Girl – Shapiro said that many companies distrust workers that are known for gossiping.
9. Leave the Home at Home – Companies are wary of workers who spend too much time talking about their home life/problems and frequently leave early to attend their kids’ soccer games.
10. Love Your Boss – Although it may be unfair, it is not necessarily the most skilled and hardest-working employees who are protected from being let go by a company.   Your boss is like your gatekeeper to higher executives within the company so it’s important to stay on his/her good side.  Shapiro said, “What people don’t understand is that your boss is the number one determining factor in your job security.  Number one.”

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

Converge is a boutique HR consulting and outsourcing firm located in Wayne, PA. Our team consists of professionals from a variety of industries and experiences who possess exceptional skills in the critical business areas of recruitment and staffing, performance improvement, employee benefits, leadership developing and training, compensation and employee/ labor relations. We work very hard for our clients and play very hard as a team. Our culture is based on mutual trust and respect, diversity in thinking, challenging the status quo, creativity and teamwork.

We are currently seeking an HR Director who will be assigned to a Long Term Care client located in Wynnewood, PA.

The HR Director will be responsible for overall HR functions, including labor relations, for a 180 bed Skilled Nursing Facility.  Primary responsibilities include employee relations, benefit and retirement plan administration, conducting investigations, ensuring compliance with regulatory matters, and assisting line managers with performance management, and staff training.  He/she will oversee an HR Assistant and a Recruiter.

In addition to these requirements, we are also seeking the following qualifications:

-          Bachelor’s Degree

-          At least 10 years’ experience if the Human Resources field

-          5-7 years’ experience in hospital or  long term care

-          In-depth knowledge of health care HR regulations

If you believe you are up to the challenge, please send your resume and salary requirements to resumes (at) convergesolutions.net.

Growing up “hyperconnected” to the internet may mean that the brains of young people are wired differently than those of their elders.

In a recent online survey, conducted by researchers from the Pew Research Center and Elon University, participants were asked which of two predictions about teens and young adults seem more likely by 2020 – a scenario in which they’re savvy and productive, or one in which they’re hampered by impatience and shallowness.

The results of this survey showed that HR professionals may have to change the ways in which they manage these young people.

Of those surveyed, about 55% agreed that the brains of multitasking young people (under 35) are wired differently, mostly for the better.  They believe that young people won’t suffer notable cognitive shortcomings, and that “they are learning more and they are more adept at finding answers to deep questions,” mainly because they are good at going online, navigating the internet, and finding collective intelligence.

On the other side of the spectrum, about 45% of those surveyed expected brain-wiring changes with negative results, including the need for instant gratification.  These participants expect that young people will “not retain information; they spend most of their energy sharing short social messages, being entertained, and being distracted away from deep engagement with people and knowledge.  They lack deep thinking capabilities; they lack face-to-face social skills; and they depend in unhealthy ways on the internet and mobile devices to function.”

Some of those surveyed, as older adults themselves, found that they have become highly connected to technology with both positive and negative results.  Some of the respondents included educators who noted a diminishment of critical thinking skills and attention spans among their students.

David Ellis, communications studies director at Toronto’s York University, contends that multitasking hinders productivity, even for the very bright.  Conflicting with popular opinion, he does not see Millennials as effective users of digital tools.

In response to the survey, he said, “The idea that Millennials have a cognitive advantage over their elders is based on myths about multitasking, the skill sets of digital natives, and 24/7 connectedness.  Far from having an edge in learning, I see Millennials as increasingly trapped by the imperatives of online socializing and the opportunities offered by their smart phones to communicate from any place, any time.”

Millennials are a different group of employees from other generations mainly because of their attachment to technology which causes them to be on 24/7.  Think of it this way, young workers wouldn’t imagine going on vacation without phone and email access making them likely to conduct business on their smart phones.  This connectedness can lead to behavior that older employees might consider rude, like texting during a meeting.

Many Millennials grew up working in teams and “they don’t think twice about whether the opinion they express hurts someone else’s feelings.  A Millennial is more likely to say, ‘What a sucky idea,’ but not meaning it in an insulting way.”

In order to ease workplace tensions between Millennials and older generations, everyone must adjust in order to become more comfortable with generational differences.

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

Text messaging has come a long way.  With trillions (yes, trillions) of text messages being sent each year, it is no longer a practice being dominated solely by the teenage consumer.  Text messaging is becoming more common place among adults and is changing the way we conduct business.  Contacting employees, business partners, and other entities can now be done instantaneously.  Despite the many benefits associated with text messaging, employers need to be aware of one significant drawback – the use of text messages as evidence of sexual harassment.  Due to its increasing prevalence, text messaging may challenge email, the long-time leader of the technological hysteria, as the number one smoking gun.  Beware employers: we are entering the age of textual harassment.

Textual harassment can consist of repetitive texting, sometimes hundreds of messages in a day.  In many cases, such behavior is considered sexual harassment, bullying, and in some extreme cases, it has even led to violence and death.

The problem presented by textual harassment comes from the sense of privacy many people feel text messaging provides.  This false sense of privacy mainly comes from the fact that these messages are not on paper and can be deleted by the press of a button.  However, the text is still on the recipient’s phone, thus creating a digital paper trail.  Because many feel that what they’re sending will remain private, people tend to lower their guard when it comes to texting each other.

This false sense of privacy also spills over to the employment context with employees believing that text messages, along with other forms of digital communication, will remain private.  This can lead to employees, both supervisors and subordinates, to send text messages that are inappropriate.  Because of this, it has become more popular for employers to use these inappropriate text messages as evidence of sexual harassment.

Another issue arises with the use of private phones versus company issued phones.  Employers need to know that their liability is not limited to the employee’s use of a company issued phone.  The idea that if an employee/manager/supervisor sends messages to another employee/manager/supervisor – using their personal cell phone from the privacy of their own home – that they are protected from a sexual harassment lawsuit couldn’t be further from the truth.  The fact is: even messages sent from an employee’s personal phone from the privacy of their own home can be used against an employer.

Fueling the problem of textual harassment is how easy it is to misunderstand the tone of a text message.  The lack of nonverbal cues and even the timing of the messages can lead to miscommunication.

So, as an employer, how can you address the growing issue of textual harassment?  The first thing to do would be to extend your company’s code of conduct/policies to cover text messages.  Be sure that the policy addresses sexual and other unlawful forms of harassment and install consequences for harassing behavior.  Second, alert managers, supervisors, and employees to the potential that their messages may be misconstrued due to the nonverbal communication barriers.  Finally, inform managers, supervisors, and employees to limit their text message strictly to relevant business matters.

For more information about textual harassment and how you can protect yourself, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

Are you a hiring manager who’s asking job candidates to hand over their Facebook login information as a step in the hiring process?  If you are, you may want to rethink your strategy – and fast.

The question of privacy on Facebook has hit a new level.  It is fairly common that employers will look at a potential employee’s Facebook page and maybe even friend request them to look at their information, but now we are learning that some employers are asking for Facebook passwords before hiring someone.

Facebook officials came out last week saying this is an invasion of privacy, even threatening legal action against companies that ask for job applicant’s passwords.  In a blog post, Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan said, “As a user, you shouldn’t be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job.  And as the friend of a user, you shouldn’t have to worry that your private information or communications will be revealed to someone you don’t know and didn’t intend to share with just because that user is looking for a job.”

From a hiring manager’s point of view, having access to a job candidates Facebook page would make the hiring process a lot easier by being able to weed out candidates with poor judgment by being able to snoop around their personal Facebook page.  However, demanding candidates turn over their login information isn’t just unfair to them, it may end up putting you in a lot of legal trouble.

Let’s say that you’ve gotten a candidates login information and now you’re now combing through their Facebook page.  By doing so, you find out that the candidate has a child with a long-term illness.  Or the person is a recovering alcoholic.  Or that they were not born in the United States.  These findings, in addition to countless others, reveal your job candidate to be in a protected class.

So what does that mean to you?  Well, you’ve just laid the groundwork for a hiring lawsuit.  You may have a perfectly valid reason for not hiring the candidate, but the person now has potential evidence that you did not hire them for illegal reasons.

No one is saying you can’t do your due diligence and try to weed out poor job candidates before they become a problem; but demanding a potential employee give up their login information is not just an invasion of privacy for the candidate, it’s a legal disaster for hiring managers.

While most employers are not going to cross that line, many screen job candidates using social media; so be careful with what you post!

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our social media experts.

When you have a bad day at work, can you check your emotions and feelings at the door and leave the problem at work?  As it turns out, most of us can’t.  According to a study from Baylor University, the fallout from workplace rudeness impacts a worker’s home life and can create a ripple effect that crosses into a significant other’s workplace.

Surprisingly, disagreeable workers in North America tend to make more money than their agreeable co-workers according to a study conducted by the Academy of Management.  Although being disagreeable at work can make you more money, you attitude and mood will have adverse effects on other aspects of your life.  It has been found that workplace rudeness cannot only disrupt home life, but in some cases, can spread to their partner’s work environment.

Meredith J. Ferguson, a Baylor University assistant professor, conducted a study that was published in the August 2011 online issue of the “Journal of Organizational Behavior” titled “You Cannot Leave It At The Office: The Spillover and Crossover of Coworker Incivility.”  Ferguson’s survey included 190 full-time workers and their employed partners who completed separate online surveys.  About 57% of the employees surveyed were male with an average age of 36; 43% of the partners surveyed were male with an average age of 35; and 75% of the couples had children living with them.

In an August 2011 news release she stated, “Unlike the study of incivility effects at work, the study of its impact on the family is in its infancy.  However, these findings emphasize the notion that organizations must realize the far-reaching effects of co-worker incivility and its impact on employees and their families.

A majority of Ferguson’s research focuses on the impact of co-worker rudeness after the employee returns home for the day.  According to Ferguson, the impact can spread to the worker’s children, friends, parents, partner, and can even hamper marital bliss.

“Employees who experience such incivility at work bring home the stress, negative emotion and perceived ostracism that results from those experiences, which then affect more than their family life.  These issues also create problems for the partner’s life at work,” she stated.

When someone comes home from work stressed and distracted, their partner is likely to pick up more of the family responsibilities.  These increased demands on the partner’s time may then spill over into their work life.

Ferguson’s findings “emphasize the notion that organizations must realize the far-reaching effects of co-worker incivility and its impact on employees and their families.  Organizations should take an active role in discouraging incivility in the workplace by encouraging management to model appropriate behavior and setting clear expectations about what is and is not acceptable behavior among colleagues.”

To learn more about this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.

People who have tattoos and people who do not have very different impressions of those with body art.  These impressions can lead to stereotyping and other negative consequences in the workplace.

According to a Harris Poll released February 23, 2012, one in five US adults (about 21%) has at least one tattoo – this is up from 14% in 2003.  The survey showed that impressions tattoos have on people seem to be generally negative.  Of the 2,016 adults surveyed, 45% said people with tattoos are less attractive, 39% said they are less sexy, 27% said they are less intelligent, and 25% said they are less healthy than others.

So can having tattoos affect your chances of securing a job?  It’s a definite possibility.  Such impressions could cause hiring managers to avoid tattooed candidates for jobs or promotion opportunities, particularly if they feel that an individual’s appearance will impact customer or client relations.

However, those who have body art have very different opinions.  According to the Harris Poll, those with tattoos said their body art makes them feel:

Sexy – 39%

Rebellious – 25%

Attractive or strong – 21%

Spiritual – 16%

Healthy – 9%

Intelligent – 8%

Athletic – 5%

Something to note, 50% of those without body art feel that those with tattoos are more rebellious.  Harris concluded the poll by saying that “although the association of tattoos with deviant behavior has decreased slightly, among those without tattoos there are still several negative stigmas associated with having tattoos.”

The Harris Poll also revealed some surprising demographics about those with tattoos.  Among the most notable:

-          Tattoos are most prevalent in the Western US (26%) and least prevalent in the South (18%).

-          Those who are most likely to have tattoos are aged 30-39 (38%).  Those between the ages of 25 and 29, 30%             have tattoos and 22% of those 18-24 have some form of body art, as do 27% of those 40-49.

-          Surprisingly, women are more likely to have tattoos than men – 23% vs. 19%.

-          Most individuals who have gotten tattoos (86%) say then have never regretted it.

In addition to dealing with a negative stigma and stereotyping, those who have body art may find that some doors will be closed if their tattoos cannot be covered during work hours.  Believe it or not, however, some of these perceptions are changing.

“Two decades ago, showing off tattoos and body piercing would be a sure fire way to get your resume placed in the ‘No Way!’ pile,” said workplace authority John A. Challenger, CEO of global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., in a 2010 statement.  “Times have changed.  Those making the hiring decisions are younger and not as adherent to traditions about workplace appearance.”

The practice of body art is becoming so commonplace that companies would be limiting the pool of candidates if they were to reject everyone with a tattoo.  Keep in mind, however, that whether an employer will accept visibly inked employees will depend largely on the nature of the job and the customs of the industry and geographic location.  If you’re dealing face to face with customers and clients, you want them to remember you for your service, not your tattoos.

For more information on this topic, please contact Converge to speak with one of our HR experts.